About Dr. Noel Schmidt

Dr. Noel Schmidt has spent more than 40 years working alongside children, families, and teachers. Over the years, he has been an English teacher, coach, camp director, school psychologist, principal, and superintendent. He has also traveled widely, studying and visiting schools in China, Russia, England, Costa Rica, Cuba, Germany, and Finland.

Through these experiences, Dr. Schmidt has seen firsthand how children learn, how parents support them, and how schools can build stronger communities. He is an accomplished speaker and writer on issues affecting education, student learning, and meaningful school change. He has taught at the University of Minnesota as an adjunct instructor, leading a course on how middle school students think and behave, and has served as president of the Minnesota Middle School Association. In 2025, Dr. Schmidt was recognized nationally as a finalist for the National School Superintendents Association’s Small School Superintendent of the Year.

During his own school years, Dr. Schmidt’s report cards varied, with grades ranging anywhere from A to D. And yet somehow, he survived and thrived. In addition, he played on the football, wrestling, and track teams, while also singing in the choir, taking piano lessons, and playing in the band. In the early morning hours, he delivered milk and newspapers to the residents of his hometown in Westbrook, Minnesota, then promptly spent his profits on baseball, football, and hockey cards. He remains a hopeless follower of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings.